
Finding a reasonably priced hotel with character in the heart of popular European cities isn’t always an easy task. Our Europe-based contributors scoured the hotel scene in 15 cities in search of stylish lodgings that won’t break the bank. (Some even have free breakfast and rooftop pools.) The hotels below usually have rooms available for less than $300 per night, with two caveats: Rates often surge during busy travel moments, and the dollar is currently on the wane.
Amsterdam
Hotels in Amsterdam have taken center stage in an ongoing struggle against overtourism: With a halt on new hotel permits, the city wants to limit crowds along its canals and in its museums.

Athens
From stylish and bohemian boutique hotels to renovated beachfront villas, new hotels are popping up across the Greek capital, offering visitors respite from the crowded historical city center.

Barcelona
A crackdown on short-term rentals has helped push hotel rates higher across Barcelona, but there’s still a wide range of accommodations at all points on the price spectrum.

Berlin
Given Berlin’s status as one of the major capitals of Europe, the city’s hotels are surprisingly affordable, whether you opt for one of the popular global chains clustered around the tourist attractions or a glitzy one-off boutique in a trendier neighborhood.

Budapest
The hotel scene in Budapest is every traveler’s dream, with a plethora of conveniently located options that offer evocative architecture, reasonable prices and access to thermal waters.

Copenhagen
A surge of new openings in recent years has greatly improved the accommodations landscape in Copenhagen. Although Scandinavian taxes keep prices on the high side, Scandinavian culture means most hotels have bikes available for guests to rent.

Istanbul
In the expansive city that connects the two continents of Europe and Asia, the hotel portfolio is seeing significant growth, from large luxury establishments to smaller independent options for various budgets.

Lisbon
Because of a flood of international travelers and expats over the last decade, this formerly budget-friendly metropolis of hills and churches has seen costs (and resentments) surge, though hotel rates remain a bit below those of the more famous European capitals — for now.

London
While the high-end redevelopments of historic buildings like the Old War Office, now a Raffles hotel, has garnered lots of attention, the English capital offers a number of more affordable gems for those comfortable in downsized rooms.

Madrid
After missing Olympic bids in the early 2000s, in part because of hotel shortages, Madrid now has abundant properties for every purse in every neighborhood — and there’s typically a pool on the roof.

Milan
With many chic, well-designed hotels, Milan can be a difficult city to navigate on a budget, especially during the fashion and design weeks when prices skyrocket.

Paris
For a near-mythic city that ranks among the most touristed in the world, the French capital contains a surprising number of decent budget and midrange hotels, especially if you are willing to look beyond the most popular neighborhoods.

Rome
A glittering crop of new palatial luxury hotels has stolen the international spotlight lately in the Eternal City, but an array of smaller, more discreet three- and four-star options — including some elegant ones in historical edifices — are also tucked among Rome’s ancient ruins and monuments.

Stockholm
Travelers to Stockholm, which encompasses fourteen islands, will find plenty of appealing options in the walkable, residential neighborhoods just outside the city center.

Venice
Limited land, overtourism, restrictions on new hotel construction and a slew of popular festivals keep accommodation prices high for much of the year in Italy’s most enchanting city, though low-season visits and a smattering of scattered three-star gems and four-star bargains help save some euros.